Security personnel of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) are said to be on the prowl to find and arrest those found begging on the streets, as well as near mosques and in markets.
It is illegal to beg in Kuwait and the MoI is determined to eradicate this phenomena from the country, said a source at the ministry. He added that strict deterrence measures have been implemented to remove beggars from the country. Anyone found begging and taking advantage of the benevolence of people would be deported immediately and legal action would be instituted against the sponsors who brought them to the country.
If the individuals caught begging entered Kuwait on visit visas issued by a company, a block will be placed on the file of that company.If an individual with valid work visa under a company is caught begging, strict punishment will be taken against the company. If a woman of article 22 residency (family visa) is caught begging, she will be deported along with her entire family.
The General Department for Residency Investigations submits regular reports concerning the activities of various companies, institutions and individuals who collaborate with beggars, and bans allowing them to recruit workers under their sponsorship or issue visit visas.
Statistics from the ministry reveal that so far, 33 beggars have been deported from the country since the start of the year, with most of them apprehended from markets, and near mosques and cafes during the month of Ramadan.
Meanwhile, a professor in College of Sharia at Kuwait University Dr. Tariq Al-Tawari highlighted that begging is forbidden in Islam, and Muslims should not ask people for money. Elaborating on the significant increase in begging, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, Al-Tawari said that there are people specialized in this trade and are brought into the country by visa-traders. Some sponsors have been found to issue visit visas to as many as 70 people, who are then sent to various mosques and public utilities to beg, in exchange for a cut in the proceedings earned from their begging.
